MAPUSA
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials conducted inspections at the Shri Dev Bodgeshwar Zatra fair on Monday evening, taking action against food stall owners for unsanitary practices, including cooking and disposing of wastewater near their makeshift kitchens.
The FDA imposed fines totalling Rs 14,000 on seven stalls.
The inspections followed an earlier warning issued by FDA officials, who had instructed vendors to halt unhygienic practices.
ace="Lato">Despite the warning, several stall owners continued cooking and disposing of wastewater on-site.
During Monday’s inspection, FDA officials found food items such as biryani and Gobi Manchurian being prepared in unsanitary conditions.
Stall owners were directed to close their operations.
FDA officials stated that permissions were granted for retail business at only ten stalls, with no authorisation for cooking activities.
“Separate kitchens were set up at the fairgrounds, but food was being prepared in unhygienic conditions and sold to visitors,” an FDA official revealed.
One biryani stall owner argued that no prior intimation about FDA permissions was given.
“We paid for these stalls through the temple committee and municipality. If FDA approval was required, we should have been informed beforehand,” he said.
In response to the violations, the FDA has written to the Mapusa Municipal Council, urging them to revoke permissions for the offending stalls and support efforts to maintain public health.
The agency also instructed the organising committee to ensure vendors cease unhygienic practices immediately.
The FDA has appealed to local bodies and event organisers to avoid allotting stalls without providing proper hygienic facilities.
“Ensuring food safety is a collective responsibility,” an FDA official emphasised.
Although the week-long zatra has officially concluded, the fair is expected to continue for a few more days.
Authorities aim to prevent further violations during this period to safeguard public health.
